Japan Says Hybrid Cars Too Quiet

My point is that if drivers cant rely on the sheer volume of their cars approach into making pedestrians wary - maybe they will slow down to reasonable speeds in urban areas. the sooner drivers realise that pedestrians should always have right of way the better for us all.. And yes I've been driving 30 years before you all claim i'm some non car driving namby pamby ;) like that argument holds any water ....

@Castalan

You've been driving for 30 years coz you haven't reached your destination yet.

Speeds are fine where they are. Pedestrians need educating. Bring back the Tufty Club for young kids. Teach 'em young and they (may) remember it for life.

To the deaf chap; I thought of mentioning deaf people as a group who have already faced this problem, however, it does not hold water as you will have adapted somewhat to not relying on your ears. Whereas the hearing populace are still be relying on audible cues.

This is a very simple issue: The problem only exists at low speed for 2 reasons:
1) Hybrids only operate on electric only at low speed.
2) petrol and diesel cars emit more tyre noise than engine noise aboce 30MPH anyway.

Some simulated engine noise, which is directed specifically forward, combined with colision avoidance equipemnt might have a benefit... but issues of blind corners and such as mentioned, do not apply - noise is significantly attenuated by a blind corner (normally) so you cant hear round a corner either. and that issue applies more to the higher speed environment when tire noise dominates anyway.

It is very important that we reduce the nioise level in our cities. Current noise levels have been shown to be very detrimental to our health.
It is very important that if minimum noise levels are introduces that they should be low compared with noise levels of current cars, otherwise we will not produce a reduction in noise within our cities.